Brake



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2 Sheets-Sheet VINVENT R fire/n v. LINK BRAKE Filed Dec.

Feb. 26, 1929.

ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,828

v. LINK BRAKE Filed DEC. 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mam [ink BY ATTORNEY 2 Patented Feb. 26,1929. e I 1,703,828

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF'lcE.

VINCENT LINK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPORA- TION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BRAKE.

Application filed December 8, 1926. Serial 1T0. 152,457.

This invention relates to motor vehicles claimed, having the above and other objects I and particularly to the brakes therefor, the in view. principal object being the provision of novel In the accompanying drawings which illusmeans for applying the brakes on all four trate suitable embodiments of the present in- 5 wheels thereof. vention, and in which like numerals refer to Another object is to provide, in combinalike parts throughout the several different tion with the braking mechanism of a motor views,

vehicle, a rotatable brake cross shaft sup- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a ported for bodily movement by flexible motor vehicle chassis in which an embodiment 1 means. of the present invention is incorporated.

Another object is to provide in combina- Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the tion with a motor vehicle having four wheel line 2-2 of Figure 1. brakes, a brake cross shaft mounted for bodi- Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the ly movement connected to said brakes, and line 3-3 of Figure 2.

15 means for causing rotation of said cross shaft Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view without restricting the bodily movement showing the manner of supporting the end thereof of the brake operating cross shaft. v

Another object is to provide in combina- Figure 5 is a side View showing the manner tion with a motor vehicle having four wheel in which the brake cross shaft is connected 2o brakes, a brake cross shaft depending from to the brake pedal for relative movement flexible strips whereby to be capable of bodily therewith. movement, a connection between said cross Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showshaft and said brake, and means for allowing ing a modified manner of connecting the r bodily movement of said cross shaft in the brake pedal with the cross shaft. 25' operation of applying said brakes. Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view Another object is to provide in combination taken horizontally through the end of the with a motor vehicle having four wheel brake cross shaft, showing the manner of brakes, a cross shaft supported at its ends securing the flexible supporting strip thereto. solely by a depending strip of flexible fabric, The chassis shown in Figure 1 comprises 30 connections between said cross shaft and all frame side members 10, frame cross members of said brakes, and a slidable connection be- 11, front axle 12, front wheels 13, rear axle tween said cross shaft and a foot pedal for 14, and rear wheels 15. The engine 16 is concausing rotation of said shaft without renccted t the rear axle 14 through the constricting the bodily movement thereof. ventional transmission 17 and propeller shaft 35 A further object is to provide in combina- 18. Each front wheel 13 is provided with tion with a motor vehicle having four wheel a brake drum 19 and each rear wheel 15 is brakes, a brake cross shaft supported at its provided with a similar brake drum 20. The end solely by depending strips of flexible marakes shown for the purpose of illustration teria-l, said cross shaft being 0 eratively conmay be considered as of the conventional in- 40 nested to all said brakes and eing provided tcllml expanding type, operated by rotating with an exfe nding arm, and a lever operative the shafts 2131) the front wheels and the shafts 1y connected to a, foot, pedal slidably engag- 22 at the rear wheels. Extending transverseing said arm whereby to cause rotation of said ypf he vehicle just rearwardly of the transshaft and allowing said sh aft to movebodily mlsslon 17 1s a brake ro shaft 23 supported 45 without affecting the action of said pedal as best wn in Fig res 2 nd 4- An L- .thereon. shaped bracket 25 is secured to the frame side The above being among the objects of the members 10 directly above each end of the present invention the same consists in certain cross shaft 23, one leg of these brackets 25 features of construction and combinations of being secured to the corresponding frame side parts to be hereinafter described with refermember 10 by rivets 26 or other suitable ence to the accompanying drawings, and then means, and the other leg thereof projecting fabric, preferably of the rubber impregnated type, is secured to the outwardly projecting portion of each bracket 25 by means of a metal plate 28 and screws 29. The lower ends of the strips 27 which project downwardly from the bracket 25, are secured to the ends of the cross shaft 23. In the particular embodiment of the cross shaft 23 shown, the same is of tubular material and diametrically opposite portions of each end thereof are re moved and the sides flattened out and brought into adj acent'relationship to form a yoke end. The lowerends of the strips 27 are received between the yoke ends of the cross shaft 23 and screws .30 are passed through the yoke ends and the fabric 27 and such ends are brought together to fasten the fabric-therebetween by nuts 31 threaded on to the screws 30. Itwill thus be seen that the cross shaft 23 is supported solely by the strips 27 which, being flexible, allow the shaft 23 to move bodily longitudinally of the vehicle within limits restricted by the length and flexibility ofthe strip 27.

Secured adjacent the outer ends of the cross shaft 23, as shown in Figure 3, are downwardly extending levers 32, the free ends of which are connected by means of pins 33 and clevises 34- to the brake rods 35 which extend forwardly and are suitably connected to the front brake operating shafts 21. Secured to each end of the shaft 23 just inside of the frame member 10, are upwardly extending levers 36, the free ends of which are connected by means of the pins 37 and clevises 38 to the brake rods 39 which extend rearwardly and are suitably connected to the operating shafts 22 for the rear wheel brakes. v

A foot pedal 40 is movably mounted forpivotal movement on the shaft 41 supported in any suitable manner as by the side of the transmission case 17. Pivotally mounted on a bracket 42 carried by the extreme rear end -of the transmission 17 is a 'bell crank 43 having an upwardly extending arm and a forwardly extending arm. The upper end of the upwardly extending arm of the bell crank 43 is operatively connected. to the pedal 40 above the shaft 41 by the link 44. Secured to the shaft 23 inlongitudinal alignment with the pedal-4O is a lever 45 extending forwardly and terminating inan upwardly exposed disc face 46 against which the free end of the forwardly extending arm of bell crank 43 is adapted to rest in sliding relation therewith. When the foot pedal 40is depressed in the operation of applying the brakes, the link 44 ismoved forwardly. carrying with it the upper end of the upwardly extending arm of the bell crank 43, causing the freeend of the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank 43 to move downwardly. When the free end of the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank 43 thus moves downwardly it forces the free end of the lever 45 downwardly a corresponding' amount and causes rotation of the shaft 23. WVhen the shaft 23 is thus rotated the lower ends of the lever 32 are moved rearwardly, carrying with them the rods 35, thus "causing rotation of the front wheel brake corresponding to the rear wheel brakes after i which the pressure from the pedal 40 will be transmitted equally to all the brakes.

Although this construction does not provide for equalization between. the brakes on one side ofthe vehicle against the brakes on the other side except through defiectionof the shaft 23, any unequalization may be readily taken care of by adjusting the clevises 34 or 38 on the rods 35 and 39 respectively by threading them forwardly or rearwardly thereon.

When, in the application of the brakes, the cross shaft 23-shifts bodily to effect an equalization of pressure to the different brakes, it will be apparent that the point of contact between the forward. end of the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank 43 and the disc face46 of the lever 45 will shift therewith. The discface 46 is providedto allow this movement without disengaging the bell crank 43 from the lever 45, the contacting end of the bell crank being'freely slidable thereon so that it may transmit pressure to the end 46 at "any point on its surface. It is preferable in order to facilitate ease of sliding, to provide the end of the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank43 with a spherical surface whereby the same has times with the face 46.

In Figure 6 is shown a modified manner of operating the shaft 23 from the brake pedal- In this case the cross shaft 23 and supporting shaft 47 for the brake pedal 48 are brought into closer relationship. An -arm49 isnonrotatabl secured to the shaft 23 and extends forward y under the shaft 47 to a point subterminates in a downwardly disposed spherical portion 52 which contacts with the face 50. Depression of the pedal 48 thus transmits a rotary movement to the shaft 23 directly through the arms 51 and 49 and eliminates point contact at all the necessity of-a link and bell crank as used in the previously explained construction, without losing any of the advantages thereof.

In both of these constructions it will be noted that the force transmitted, from the foot pedals to the co-operating arms on the cross-shaft is transmitted downwardly, this being necessary to keep the fabric strips 27 in tension and for preventing the shaft 23 from vertical displacement. I

It will be noted that the construction described provides an exceedingly simple and economical arrangement for operating the brakes of a motor vehicle, and that there are no bearings for the cross shaft 23 which require lubrication.

In addition a construction is provided which allows ready adjustment of the brakes to compensate for wear or unequal distribution of the braking forces.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described with out departin from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with theappended claims.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a brake mechanism .for a motor vehicle having brakes on all four wheels thereof, a bodily shiftable cross shaft, a foot pedal, connections between said cross shaft and said brakes, and means connecting said cross shaft said shaft for causing rotation'thereof com-1 -prising a pair of members ffoot pedal, and a lever movable by said pedal" and said pedal for causing rotation of said cross shaft comprising a pair of members slidably engaging each other.

2. In a brake mechanism of a motor vehicle, flexible members depending from the frame of said vehicle, a brake cross shaft entirely supported b said members, brakes on all wheels of sai vehicle, connections between said brakes and said cross shaft, a foot pedal, and means connecting said pedal to having sliding contact with each other.

3. In a motor vehicle, a strip of fabric car-i ried by each frame side member thereof and depending therefrom, a brake cross shaft carried by the lower ends of said strips, whereby to. bebodil movable longitudinally of said vehicle, a oot' edal, and a slidin con nection between said cross shaft an said pedal.

4. In a motor vehicle equipped with brakes on all four wheels, a bodily shiftable rockshaft disposed transversely of said vehicle, connections between said rock-shaft and said brakes, a leversecured to said rock shaft, a

' ,in sliding contact with the first-mentioned lever whereby to cause rotation of said rock shaft upon depression of said pedal without restricting said bodily shiftable movement of said rock shaft.

5. In a motor vehicle, a brake cross shaft, afoot pedal, a horizontally extending lever thereof on saidcross shaft in longitudinal alignment with said pedal,and a horizontally extendin lever actuated .b saidpedal, the free ends of'said levers aving sliding contact with each other whereb actuation. of said pedal causes actuation 0 said cross shaft.

6. In a motor vehicle, a transverse brake 'cross shaft supported for bodily movement longitudinally of said vehicle, a forwardly extending lever secured to said cross shaft and terminating at its free end'in a flat face, a lever pivotally mounted independent] of the first-mentioned lever between the en s of said first-mentioned lever and having its end contacting against said flat face, a brake pedal, and means for causing movement of the last-mentioned lever upon depression of said shaft."v v p 7 In a brake'mechanism for a motor vehicle having side frame members and front and rear wheel brakes, a brake cross shaft,

pedal whereby to actuate said crossmeans for supporting said shaft comprising brackets secured to said frame members and projecting) therefrom, and fabric strips having their road faces secured to said projecting portions on said brackets and to said cross shaft to permit movement of said shaft longitudinally of said vehicle, and means slidably engaging an arm on said shaft for causing ro- 'tation of said shaft without'restricting said on said shaft for causing rotation of said shaft without restricting said movement.

In a motor vehicle, a brake cross shaft mounted on flexible strips adjacent its ends to permit bodily shiftable movement of said shaft, and means comprising a pair of members slidably engaging each other for caus ing rotation of said shaft without restricting the bodily shiftable movement of said shaft.

endto said frame members with the faces.

10. Ina motor vehicle, a bodily shiftable brake cross shaft having an arm secured thereto, and means for rotating said shaft comprising an actuating member, and an arm operatively connected therewith slidably engagin said first-mentioned arm.

-' 11. n a' motor vehicle, a bodily shiftable brake cross shaft having an arm secured thereto, means for rotatin said shaft without restricting the bodily s iftable movement thereof comprising an actuating member havin means operatively connected therewith or slidably engaging the arm of said cross shaft. I

12. In a motor vehicle, a brake cross shaft mounted on flexible strips adjacent its ends to permit bodily shiftable movement of said shaft, an arm mounted on said shaft interme- 5 diate its ends, and means slidably engaging said arm for rotating said shaft without restricting the shiftable movement thereof.

13. In a motor vehicle, a bodily shiftable brake cross shaft havin an arm secured thereto, and means slida bly engaging said 10 arm for rotating said shaft without restricting the bodily shiftable movement of said shaft.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, this 29 I day of November, 1926. I

VINCENT LINK. 

